Folding table



Sept. 29,1931. N. N. BROWN FOLDING TABLE 1929 sheets-sheen Filed July 291 I I rw IIIIIIII -I I 2 2, |I| l l l I |.Ifw .l G0

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N. N. BROWN FOLDING TABLE sept. 29, 1931.

3 Sheets-Sheen. 2

I I I I I I l I I I I I I l I I I I I I I N. N.,- BROWN FOLDING TABLESept. 29, 1931.

Filed July 29. 1929 5 Sheets-'Sheet 3 Patented Sept. 229, 1931UNITED-STATES PATENrOFl-ll NEWTCN N. BROWN, OF RACINE, WISCONSIN;AssIGNon To GOLD MEDALY FOLDING` FURNITURE COMPANY, OF RACINE,WISCONSIN, A CORPORATION or WISCONSIN FOLDING JJILBIIEEly Applicata@meguiuy 2 9,l

i This invention relatesto aifolding table especially designed for usebycampers or tourists although also adapted for other di# verse uses andapplications. f

One of the principalfobjects ofV they inventionis to provide a foldingtable which may be easily set up and which, when set up, is

rigid and steady.` Further, the ytable may'.

be easily knocked down' or lcollapsed and folded and rolled into acompact easily han# c d led and conveniently stored bundle.

Another object of the invention is to pron vide a table having theseadvantages and capacities andwhich vis simple and durable inconstructiomreliable and effective in operation and easy andLcomparatively inexppensive to manufacture. c

Otherobjects and dvantages reside in certain novel featuresY of theconstruction, arrangement and combination ,of parts which will behereinaftermore fully describedand particularly pointed outl in theappended claims, reference4 being had to the accompanying drawings,forming a part ofA this specification, and in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view showing a table embodying the rvpresentinvention, the

table beings-et up; t. v v

Figure "1 2 is a bottom plan view yof the table with parts shown'aspositioned in one phase of the setting up operation;

Figure 3 is a similar view showing part-s of the ytable completelyJfolded, but the top extended or rolled out;

Figure 4 is aview Vin4 end elevation showing the table completelyfolded' and rolled of the releasable .connection provided/be- 1929.serial No. 381,813.

tween one end lof each side bar and an end.

bar; and c Figure 10 is a` detailed perspective View showing one of theclips and its blade spring employed to complete the releasableconnections between the side and end bars.'v

'Referring to thedrawings, the numeral l designates generally a topwhich is adapted to be rolled. The topi (seeFigures 5 and 6) consistsof'a two-ply cover` 2 of suitable fabric or other flexible materialstitched along parallel lines to receive strips 3 of wood or other1naterial,-the edges of the cover being bound to hold the strips inplace and give the table ainished appearance.

A supporting frame is provided for the top and comprises end membersorendV bars 5 and secured by suitable fastening de vices to the end"strips 3 of the top 1 and side members or side bars 7 and 8 which, whenthe table is set up, extend between the ends of the end bars and atright angles thereto. VAs shown in FiguresV 2, 3. anid5, oneend oftheside bar 7 is connected by a pairof horizontal disposed L-shaped'hingemembers 9 tok kone end of rthe bar 5, leach hinge member 9 beingrivetedas at 7 to the side bar 7 and pivoted as V.at 5 to thefend bar 5.`Similarly one end of the side bar 8 is ,Connected by a similar pair ofL-shaped lhinge members v1Oto` one end of the end bar 6g' 'f Asshown inFigures 2 and 3, the hinge connections 9 ,and 1Q between the side barsand end bars are at diagonally `opposite corners of ythe supportingframe and permit the sidebar 7 lto befo'lded ,flatly up against `theinner'face of the end bar 5 and the side bar 8 to be folded flat upagainst the inner face of the endbar 6 when the table is knocked down.

For releasably securing thefree end ofthe end Ybars 5 and 6to kthe sidebars 8 'and'7,.

respectively, readilyjdetachable fastening devicesdesignatedgenerallyfat 12 are pro,-

vided. 'These `fastening devices are of idenltica'lfconstruction and 4asshown'to advantage in Figures .6, ,9 and v10 each comprises a bracket orsocket piece 13 of angular oriina-l tion and havinganattachingwing 14formed integral with onepf 4 the sections o f the angular socket pieceand fastened to the inner face of its end bar and an attaching portion14 fastened to the under face of its end bar. The angular body of thesocket piece is so disposed as to have the sections thereof engageablewith the inner and under surfaces of the side bar with which it coacts.ln this way the socket piece rigidly holds theside bar againstdownwardinward or twisting movement. rjjhe table top precludes upwardmovement of the side bar. In order to prevent the ends of the side barsfrom moving outwardly from their socket pieces and also to preclude theside bar from Ymoving longitudinally away from the end bars to whichthey are detachably secured, U-shaped clips 16 are provided and arewelded or otherwise ixedly secured to and carried by the Vouter ends ofblade or leaf springs 17. VThe end of each leaf spring 17 opposite its"clip 16 is pivotally attached to itsside bar as indicated at 18. Eachleaf 'spring may be iiexed to raise its clip 16'above its side bar `topermit it to be engaged with or disengaged from its 'socket'when' thetable is being set up or knocked down 'or to be engaged with ordisengaged from vits side bar when the leaf spring and clip are to beheld in inoperative or inactive position. Fivotal movement of f theblade or leaf spring 17'after they have been flexed" upwardly positionthe clips 16 in either operative position when they engage theirrespective socket pieces or in inoperative positions where the clips 16Voverlie intermediate portions of their respective side bars. Each clip16 when engaged with its socket pieceV has one of its side members 16arlprecluding the side bars from moving longi` tudinally Vout of theirsocket pieces.

Legs 20, 21, 22 and 23 are provided at the corners of the table.L-sh'apedrhinges- 20 connect the legs 2O and 22 to the side mem# bers 7and 8, the hinge members 20 being riveted to their .respective legs andbeing p ivotally connected to the side members 7 and 8 by pivot pins 22mounted in the side members adjacent the hinged ends thereof, that is,adjacent the ends of the side members that are hinged to the endmembers. Similar L-shaped hinges 21 pivotally connect the legs 21 and 23to the end members -5 and 6, these hinges 21 also being riveted to theirrespective legs and being pivotally connectedto'their respective sidemembers 5 and 5 by the same'pins 23 that are employed for fastening thelattaching wings 14: of the socket pieces- 13 to the end members (seeFigures 7 and 10). The L-shaped formation of the hinged' members 20 and21 is such and their respective pivot pins are so located that when thetable is set up the upper ends of the legs engage the under surfaces ofthe corners of the supporting frame.

Each leg is provided with a jointed brace 25 which extends between itsleg and the frame member down onto which the leg folds and also with areleasable and foldable brace 26 which, whenrthe table is set up extendsbetween its legl and the adjacent frame member that extends at rightangles to the vframe member to which its leg is pivoted or hinged. Eachreleasable and foldable Vbrace isYV pivotally connected as at 28 to theframe member with which it is associated and at its opposite end has anotch 29 adapted to receive a headed stud 81 provided on itsleg. Akeeper 30 slidably embraces each brace 26 adjacent its notched end andis inter-connected with its brace forsuch sliding movement by means of apin 32 carried by the keeper and operating in a! slot formed in eachbrace 26. A spring 34k is interposed between one end of the slot and pin32 and biases the keeper to a position Vwhere it closes the entrance tothe notch 29. Each keeper 30 has one end reduced as at to provide theclearance necessary for the stud 31. Obviously the keepers serve toreleasably retain the braces i 26 interconnected with their studs 31.

The table collapsed and rolled up is shown in Figure 4. To set up thetable it is first rolled out to the position shown in Figure 3. The sidemembers 7 and 8 with their legs 2O and 22 are then swung around to aposition at right angles to the end members 5 and 6. Figure 2illustrates the side mem-V ber 7 in its set up position and the sidemember 8 in an intermediate position. The side members when swung aroundtoa position at right angles to theend members the rst have their freeends carried over the socket pieces 13and then entered into the socketsdeflnedby these pieces 13 through the outer open sides thereof. Thisentering of the free ends of the side members into the socket pieces isfacilitated by pulling the legs 20 and 22 upwardly away from their sidemembers.v After the ends of the side members have been entered into thesocket pieces 13 the clips 16 are brought from the position shown inconnection with the side member S in Figure 2 to the position shown inconnection with the side member 7 in the same figure thereby locking theside members to the end members and providing a rigid supporting frame.The legs 20, 21 andf22 are then all pulled up to a vertical position andsecured in suchposition by the braces. The

table is completely set up as shown in Figtheir socket pieces; thejointed braces are partially broken or folded; the ends of the endmembers 7 and 8 are Withdrawn from the socket pieces and sWung overyagainst their respective end members 5 and 6; and legs 2l, 22 and 23are folded down against the frame members 7, 5, 8 and 6 respectively.This brings all the parts back in the position shown in Figure 3 andpermits the top to be rolled into the compact bundle shown in Figure 4.

The invention claimed is :V

l. A folding table comprising a top to be rolled, a supporting frame forsaid top including side and end members, ends of the side members beinghingedly connected to ends of the end members at diagonally oppositecorners of the frame, socket pieces attached to said end members andhaving open sides to permit of the insertion and removal of the ends ofthe side members, means for releasably holding thel ends of the sidememi bers in said sockets, and legs pivotally connected to theendmembers and side members and adapted to befolded doWn thereagainst soas to be extended therefrom.

2. A folding table comprising a top to be rolled, a supporting frame forsaid top comprising side and end members, ends of I, the side membersbeing hingedly connected to ends of the end bars at diagonally oppositecorners of thek frame, consisting of socket pieces attached to said endmembers and having open sides to permit of the insertion and removal ofthe ends of the side members, leaf springs pivotally attached to theside members and having U-shaped clips at their outer ends adapted toembrace the sockets and engage the side members therein in one positionand to embrace their side members in another position, and legspivotally connected to the end members and side members and adapted tobe folded dovvn`v thereagainst so as to be extended therefrom.

3. A folding table comprising a top, a supporting frame for said topincluding side and end members, ends of said side members being hingedlyconnected to ends of said end members at diagonally opposite kcornersofthe frame, socket pieces attached tosaid. end

members and adapted to receive ends of the side members, each socketpiece including an angular body having sections adapted to engage theunder side and inner side of its side member, releasable means carriedby the side members and cooperablevvith the sockets to hold the sidemembers ktherein and legs pivotally connected to the frame and foldableagainst the membersthereof.

e. A folding table comprising a top, a supporting frame for said topincluding side and end members, ends of said side members being hingedlyconnected to ends of saidy end members at diagonally opposite corners ofthe frame, socket pieces attached to said end member-and adapted toreceive ends of the side members, each socket piece including an angularbody having sections adapted to engage the under side and inner side ofits side member,y releasable means'car'ried by the side Vmembers andcooperable With the sockets to hold the side members therein, saidsocket pieces and said means having interengaging parts to prevent theside members from moving longitudinally out of the socket pieces andlegs kpivotally connected to the frame and foldable against the membersthereof. y v

5.1A folding table comprisinga top to be rolled, a supporting frame forsaid top comprising side and end members, ends of the side members beinghingedly connected to ends of the end bars at diagonally oppositecorners of the frame, consisting of socket pieces attached to said endmembers andhavingopen sidesto permit of the insertion and `removal ofthe ends of the side members, leaf springs pivotally attached to theside members and having U-shaped clips at their router ends `adapted toembrace the sockets and engage the side members therein in one positionand to embrace their side members in another position, each socket piecehaving a lug and a notch cooperable with its lU-shaped clip topreventvthe side members from pulling out the socket pieces and legspivotally connected to the end members and side members and adapted tobeV foldedfdovvn thereagainst so asto be extended therefrom.

6. A folding table comprising y,a top, a supporting frame for the topincluding side and end members, a hinged connection betvveen eachsidemember and one endv of one of said end members, said hingedconnections being at diagonally opposite corners of the frame,releasable connections directly and positively interconnecting the freeends s of therside members andthe end members,

lll)

hinged connection to a leg member, said legs being foldable down ontolthe frame mem- Y bers` to Which they are hinged and bracesforreleasably holding the legs extended;

In Witnessvvhereof, I hereto afliX my signature.

NEWTON N. BROWN.

